Improvement in car-couplings



`CHARLES: WHITUS. l Improvement in Car-Coupling.

Patented Aprii23,1872.

lllllllllll mf:

UNITED ATE'I FFIGE.

CHARLES WHITUS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PA., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, ED- WARD G. SMITH, AND WILLIAM MARTIN, JR., OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN cAR-cou'PLlNes.'

Specification describing certain Improvements in Car-Couplings, invented by CHARLES WHITUS, of the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania.

My improvements consist, irst, in arranging the counterpoise c with open bearings at the bottom of the draw-head, over an aperture formed for it in said bottom, so that it is enabled to hold the coupling-link at the elevation or angle required for coupling cars of dit'- ferent heights, or cars standing on curves, and also so that said counterpoise can drop out of the way of the coupling-link when the operation of coupling has been effected; second, in combination of the draw-head a or a', swinging draw-pin b or b', coupling-link m, and counterpoise e, when constructed and arranged as herein set forth.

Figure l is a longitudinal vertical sectional elevation of a coupling embracing my improvements; Fig. 2, a horizontal sectional plan of the same.

a a represent two drawheads. b b are draw-pins, which swing back freely on pivots or trunnion-like bearings c c', which rest on the tops of the draw-heads, respectively. cl is a recess in the top of the draw-head, or formed, as shown, by elevating the middle portion of the draw-head top. The recess d is given sufcient capacity or depth to receive the drawpin,yand allow it to be pushed back into said recess ilush with the inner top surface of the draw-head, so as to be entirely free from interference with the coupling-link in the operation of shackling, or preparatory to this operation. e is the counterpoise, which turns freely on open bearings f, and of its own gravity drops down, so that its free end is below the level of the draw-head bottom inside, as at g, Fig. l; or it is employed to hold theprojectin g end of the lilik (by pressure 011 its inserted end) at any desired angle of elevation preparatory to the operation of shackling, as shown at h, Fig. l. ou is the coupling-link. a is a shallow groove in the bottom of the drawhead corresponding to the forni or" the connecting-link.

With this coupling the operation of shackling is in all cases automatically eifected. Thus referring to Fig. 1, the draw-head a is supposed to be attached to a car at rest, and the draw-head a to a car which is being moved have slightly different elevations above the i track.

It is to be understood that the link m is set either horizontally or at any angle the circumstances referred to may require.

The inserted end of the link m is caused to enter the recess p in the front end of the counterpoise e. The counterpoise has suiiicient weight to enable it to hold the link at any required angle.

As the moving car approaches the car at rest the link m pushes the draw-pin b back toward or into the recess d, and thus passes the draw-pin, which swings back of its own grav ity into a perpendicular' position, its lower end coming in contact with the shoulder q, Fig. l.

The link m is given length sufficient to free it from interference with the turning of the cars on curves, and is still sufficiently short to prevent contact between it and the backs ofthe opposite draw-heads a and a when the latter are in contact.

Instead of constructing the counterpoise with a recess, p, in its front end, to receive the inserted end of the coupling-link, preparatory to shackling, the counterpoise may be made without recess, and square or rounded concave or convex at this end; but I prefer to construct it with a recess, as shown.

The mouth of the draw-head is shown to be made square; but it is obvious that it may be made flaring or bell-shaped, more or less, as desired.

The draw-pin and counterpoise, being rehead, over an aperture formed for it in said bottom, so that it ca-n be employed to hold the coupling-link at the required elevation or auge when adjusted for coupling oars of diierent heights or oars standing ou curves, and so as to leave the draw-head space clear when the not of coupling is completed, as set forth.

2. The cur-coupling, consisting of draw-head a or a', swinging draw-pin l) or b', coupling'- link m, and eouuterpoise e, when these several parts are constructed and arrzm ged as set forth.

CHARLES WHITUS.

Witnesses:

EDWARD J. vFASY, Trios. A. BURTT. 

